committee, 01-701 4760. exploited.
MAUREEN Support to women's organisations in the Labour Party. What have learnt from the movement of women in support of the miners!
It has released women from their isolated role in the home into organising.
lone before. It's bringing them into contact with new aspects of politics.
Even if they have voted before they've never been in direct contact with the Labour ParWhen they go demonstrations pickets they meet people with lett-wing views. making them aware of many Women have begun to realise what the police really are and what they are used for by the government.
confidence has grown Even the women who tend to concentrate on food provision and working in the canteen THE MOVEMENT of women in support of the miners has mushroomed in every pit area. It ha:
DOUGLASS Hatfield Group spoke to VALERIE COULTAS about the movement and its relationship to other workers. into a factory canteen talk can be just as horrifying as a public meetings.
We have a very small town here Doncaster, There's not of politica organisations.
We have 'Villag Parties, so to speak. strong section in this area There are a few individuals who are active in the Labour Party who are supporting the strike, but they are not involved in our group. don't have any experience women s seculous this reason.
The locally doesn't have much vibrancy. can changed, but whether _or not women in the mining communities will involved after this strike can't say.
It is certainly one of the main places they should be. would be very interesting for someone to come to our group and put tne case becoming active in the Labour Party What problems i have vou confronted in organising as women.
Very early on in the strike we encountered a certain amount of sexism from the men. Incy sang songs and shouted slogans that were misutile lu wullich 'Get your tits out for the lads' was just one of them The depressing thing has been that a lot of women I've come across don't recognise these PHOTO. R YOUNG slogans as oppressive to women.
Some do, but others sing along with the men. I find it quite disturbing. Our group decided to ban these slogans.
I spoke out about it at the Barnsley rally. That was my naivete at the time I couldn't believe at first that such things didn't upset women.
Insular ideas do exist though, even when people are fighting such a political battle as the miners. Anti-black, antiwoman prejudice doesn't questions to tackle all the many time. sometimes it's ditficult to know where to concentrate next.
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tremendous significance for the NUM and the labour movement, showing how vital it is to reach out and organise all sections of the oppressed and